Portable swimming pool digger



V. L. BARTLEY PORTABLE SWIMMING POOL DIGGER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 26, 1960 Filed Dec. 6, 1957 .nur

BY Mya@ XMW.

July 25, 1950 v. l.. BAR'rLl-:Y 2,946,146

PORTABLE SWIMMING POOL BIGGER Filed Dec. 6. 1957 4'Sheets-Sheet 2 Vernon L. Bari/ey INVENTOR.

f' l gym? Mas July 26, 1960 v, 1 BARTLEY 2,946,146

PORTABLE SWIMMING POOL DIGGER Filed Dec. 6. 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 90 Figa Vernon L. Barr/ey 1N VEN TOR.

United States are 2,946,146` l Y Y PORTABLE SWIMMINGPooLpDIGGER Vernon L. Barney, soi Charisteas., Mamie, Aia.

' Fired Dec. 6,1957, sen-N0. i01,z4o

sclaims. (CLM- 192) This invention relates to a machine for making excavations and more particularly to a machine for excavating an area within which to subsequently construct a swimming pool.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine thatis comparatively easily handled and operated with a minimum of help. My machine is easily portable and set-up on the site at which an excavation for a swimming pool is to be made. Y.

My entire assembly can be set up in a short while and be made ready for digging. After the hole is dug, the digging assembly can be removed from the bottom of the center member of my machine, two of the legs or. frames removed and replaced 120 apart and the top of the three sections disassembled and three lever lifting parts bolted to the three sectionswith a long threaded screws. This adjusts my machine so thatit isa tripod that can be used as a crane for lifting and. lowering prefabricated swimming pool parts or a monolithic part to install the same in place.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide ya machine which is capable of being easily transported fromone job to another, the .machine having three sections and a center member that are adjustably connected together so that they can be moved parallel to each other in the form of a trailer, or they can be arranged as` a truss with the span extending over the area that is to be dug and provided with a digger to remove the soil from vthevexcavation area or can be arranged as a hoist frame for lifting and lowering parts in the excavation.

Other objects and features of importancesuch as the practicability of the construction and the rapidity with which the swimming pool excavations or other types of excavations may be made, will become apparent in following the description of the illustrated forms of the invention.

Figure l is an elevational side view of a machine constructed in-accordance with the invention, the machine illustrated being in the process of excavating a cavityV which will subsequently receive a pool liner and a frame section at the center of the machine being omitted for clarity.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top View of the invention.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the machine showing. it used for grading the soil around the excavation, this view having the digger removed and replaced by a soil levelling attachmentV and a frame section at the center of the machine also being omitted for clarity.

Figure 4 is an elevational View of my machine showing it used-as a hoist to lower the parts of the swimming pool in the excavation.

Figure 5 is a top view of the machiney in the in which it may be transported.

Figure 6 is an elevational View of the machine in Figure 5 showing the same attached to the back of a small '.truck by a conventional trailer hitch.

position Figure T is an enlarged sectionalv view of thecenten rice Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional View taken-Yon the line 9--9 of Figure 7. Y

Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevationall viewshowing a chain sprocket, arms and brace assembly.

FigureA l1' is a fragmentary sectional detail'of a por;

portion of FigureV 10.

Figure 12 is a modification showing the motor' on`a hinged stand.

In the accompanying drawings there s shownv a' machine 10 which is constructed to fulfill the aims ofthe invention. This machine is designed to excavate cavities in the ground within which to install swimming pool parts. The machine is made-of a number of sections connected to a center member that is capable of operating a numberv of tools. There are four sections 12, 14, 1 6Y and 218 and'each is madeofan' open frame truss. The centerl member 20 of the machine is shown in detail in Figures 7-9 and includes an upper plate 22 and a lower plate Z4 that are spaced apart by a center hollow column 26. The inner ends of the four sections are attached toV the upper and lower plates 22 and 24 by clamps 39. Eachclampconsistsof'a hinge platel attached to aremovable pin 32 at'ithe end of bracket 33 on a section (Figure 7). With'clamps such as clamp 30 at the top andbottorn;`

each other with the lines of intersection extending` bef tween the anchors being directly above the center of 'the excavation that'is to be made. Means hereinafter described are provided for securing the outer ends. ofthe sections to the anchors. These means are shown. as` dovetail keys 38`in the anchors 36 and slots.40 at'the ends of the sections 12, 14, 16 andv 18.v The dovetail; slots terminate above the ground level whereby. the4 anchors serve' as structural supports for the machine.

A source of power, for example, gasoline motor 42, vorf an electric motor (not shown) is mounted'on section 14,'. This motor canv be directly attached by motorimounts' onto section 14 as shown in Figure l or can be mounted` ona frame 46 as shown at 42a in the modicationof@ Figure 12; The latter construction is. preferred so that: the motorV does not' have to be elevated as shownin Fig ure 4, when the equipment is used as a crane. iSofthat; the motor remains horizontal, it may be hinged as.A at 47- to thev motor frame 46 and an adjustableleg framell at tached to the motor and adapted to engage the groundft'of retain the motor horizontal even though section 14a is at.

Y endless conveyor type digger 57 which empties onto a. conveyor 5 8. The conveyor 58 disposes the dug soilin` a circle around the excavation so that this soil can later be graded by my machine (Figure 3).

The digger 57 is formed of an endless chain, y60' entrained around sprocket 61' on transverse shaft y62. The shaft is carried by a depending carrier 63 located belowplate 24.A The carrier carries a pair of digger frame sides 65 and4 66, (Figures 1 and 10) whose outer ends acc'omir modate a transverse shaft 68 on which sprocketI 691i's-` mounted. YEndless chain. 60 extends around sprocketfl" and around the previously mentioned sprocket 6 (Figure 7). There are bearings 70 and 71 at the ends of shaft 62 mounting it for rotation. A worm wheel 73 is secured to shaft 62 (Figure 9) anda worm gear -74 is enmeshed with it. A plurality of spaced digger buckets 75 are suitably pivoted to the links of chain 60 and these do the actual excavation. Each bucket has a lateral pin 76 (Figure 7) which isadapted to` contact stop 77 lon a part of carrier 63 and tilt the bucket as it reaches the top of its travel.

The conveyor 58 comprises a conveyor belt 79 extending around pulley 80 on shaft 62. A number of intermediate pulleys 81 (Figure 8) are on spindles 82 and constrain the travel of the conveyor belt. Conveyor frame 83 extends from the carrier and has elongated sides 84 (Figure 1) on which the outer end conveyor roller 85 is carried.

thereby forming a semi-spherical excavation 115 into which a pool liner 116 can be lowered. First, though, it is suggested that the circular accumulation of soil 88 be graded. For this purpose a grading tool 120 is attached to the center section 20 of my machine. The grading tool is made of an endless conveyor 121 which may have cleats on it. The endless conveyor has a conveyor frame 122 -and rollers carried by transverse shafts on the frame.

The shaft of the innermost roller is drivingly connected digger and conveyor 79V are removed from the flange 99 As seen in Figure 7 when the dug soil is dumped from A buckets 75 it spills onto the endless conveyor 79 for discharge in mound 88 (Figure 1) considerably removed from the edge of the excavation. A concave-convex bafe 89 is on shaft 62 between roller 80 and the sprocket 61. This assures that the soil which is emptied from buckets 75 will be deposited on the endless conveyor and discharged.

The means for rotating shaft 62 have partially been described. They include worrn wheel 73 and worm gear 74 which is secured to a polygonal shaft 90. This shaft has a plurality of spaced bearings 91 thereon which are guided in, the hollow drive shaft 92. This drive shaft is concentric with hollow column 26 and has upper and lower bearings 93 and 94 therebetween. Shaft 55 and polygonal shaft 90 have a pair of miter gears 94 drivingly connecting them so that power from the motor 42 or 42a is delivered to shaft 90. The shaft 90 is polygonal since it must be capable of axially sliding and yet drive worm 74 and be driven by one of the miter gears 94. Hand crank 95 which is optionally usable upon disengagement of clutch 54, is attached to the upper end of shaft 90 and located above gear case 96 that is attached to the upper plate 22. This manually powers shaft 62 for the digger and conveyor. However, the digger, conveyor and their carrier 63 rotate as a unit about the longitudinal axis of shaft 90. This is achieved by rotating the hollow driveshaft 92 that has a ange 99 at its lower end bolted or otherwise attached to carrier 63. The upper end of the hollow driveshaft has a gear 100 fixed to it. An optionally usable hand wheel 101 has a pinion 102 on it and is mounted in bearings 103 in upper plate 22. The hand wheel shaft passes through an openlng 1n the gear case 96 and the pinion 102 is meshed with gear 100. Rotation of the hand wheel 101 will cause the hollow driveshaft 92 to be driven thereby rotating the entire carrier with the tools thereon in a crcular travel. Clutch 104 is slidably mounted on shaft 55. Gear 105 idles on shaft 55 until engaged by clutch 104. Then the drive connection between shaft 55 and gear 105 is established. This gear is meshed with the gear 106 that it is either made on gear 100 or is separably made 4and fastened in place thereon. Hand control 107 is attached to clutch 104 so that the operator has the option of using the hand wheel 101 or power from shaft 55 to actuate the hollow driveshaft 92. Cable 109 is movably attached to the depending circular track 110 on the truss sections and is under the control of the operator.

This cable steadies and guides the digger as it moves in a circular path of travel. The end of the cable can b e connected to a carriage movable along the track 110 `and the length of cable 109 can be made longer or shorter depending on the depth of cut that is to be taken. After the first cut is taken by having the digger approximately horizontal (resting directly on the ground) the second cut is made a little deeper while the third cut is deeper than that. Finally, the cutter will be practically vertical of hollow driveshaft 92. In their place plate 128 is bolted. The gear box 123 is secured to this plate and the plate 128 is provided with suitable wheels travelling along the circular track 110 so that the entire levelling assembly i 120 can be rotated about the longitudinal axis of shaft 90 with hollow driveshaft 92. The same structure from flange 99 upward, that is in Figure 7, is used with the soil levelling attachment. It is preferred that the endless conveyor have its inner roller shaft mounted so that the f conveyor will pivot about that shaft so that its own weight 4 after removing the track 110 therefrom. A long screw 140 has a flange at its upper end by which the screw is bolted to flange 99 in place of carrier 63 or spider or plate 128. Nut 142 is on screw 140 and has lateral ears to which a plurality of links 144 are pivoted. The opposite ends of the links are pivoted to brackets on three of the sections 12, 16 and 18 of the machine. Section 14 has the motor on it in the embodiment of Figure 4. The preferred arrangement will be to have section 14a connected to one of the links 144 and another of the sections remain horizontal instead of section 14 (Figure 12). In any case, the three sections which are to be made into a tripod have their upper clamps 30 removed and rebolted to the center member 20 at a 120" spacing, in which the upper clamps 30 are replaced with links 146 after the three sections have been pivotally actuated about the pins of their lower clamps 30 to assume the position shown in Figure 4. Screw 140 is actuated prior to installation of the links 146 to achieve the tripod position through the action of the nut 142 thereon and links 144.

Overhead rail 150 is secured to the lower chord of the horizontal section 14 and a block and tackle 152 is mounted on the overhead track 150. Legs 154 are placed under the outer end of the horizontal section 14 so that the machine in essence becomes a crane with the ability to support the block and tackle in a position to raise, lower and place heavy swimming pool parts, as the precast concrete liner 116.

In order to dig smaller or larger holes the length of the cutter 57 can be varied by removing it and replacing it with another of a different length. Accordingly, the sides 65, 66 of the cutter 57 are mounted so that they can be separated from carrier 63 quickly. Split bearings 159 and have their sections formed with semi-circular rims that t in the circular grooves 161 and 162 of bearings 163 and 164 mounted on the Walls 165 and 166 of carrier 63. They are concentric with shaft 62 enabling tllllefdigger to oscillate about the longitudinal axis of the s a t.

As seen from Figure 7, the directions of rotation may be varied. There is no structural obstacle to rotating the driveshaft 92 or the shaft 90 in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. This is especially important when the grader attachment (Figure 3) is used so `that the grading can be done in either direction. The hand controls are optional and are capable of being engaged and disengaged by merely pulling or pushing the shafts that have hand Wheel 101 and handle 95 thereon.

It is an important feature of the invention to have it capable of easy maneuverability and transportation. I have shown a part of a small pick-up truck 170 with a trailer hitch 171 thereon. The part 172 of the hitch is bolted to the bottom plate 24 of center member 20 of my machine. The open frame truss sections can be unbolted from the member 20 and suitably rebolted thereto in parallel relation as shown in Figure 5 with the use of links 174 of correct length. Separably mounted wheel trucks 175 are attached to the rear ends of the sections 12, 14, 16 and 18 after they are bound together by ties 176 or otherwise rigidly connected.

It is understood `that various changes may be made in my invention without departing from the following claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In an excavating machine, the combination of a supporting frame including a center member and a plurality of elongated frame sections connected to and extending radially outwardly from said center member, means at the outer ends of said frame sections for anchoring the same to the ground, a carrier rotatable in a horizontal plane at the underside of said center member, means for rotating said carrier, an endless conveyor type digger pivoted at one end thereof to said carrier for raising and lowering movement, means for driving said digger whereby the same may excavate a substantially semispherical cavity in the ground under said frame when said carrier is rotated, an annular track provided at the under-A side of said frame sections concentrically with said center member, means movable along said track and connected to the outer end of said digger for suspending the same therefrom, and conveyor means connected to said carrier for rotation therewith and communicating with the pivoted end of said digger, said conveyor means extending radially outwardly from said carrier beyond the outer end of the digger whereby tol transfer earth from the digger to the ground exteriorly of the stated cavity.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with a horizontal shaft rotatably journalled in said carrier and having the respective inner ends of said digger and of said conveyor meansmounted thereon.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 together with a horizontal shaft rotatably journalled in said carrier and having the respective inner ends of said digger and of said conveyor means operatively connected thereto, said means for rotating said carrier including a vertical tubular shaft rotatably journalled in said center member and having said carrier secured to its lower end, said means for driving said digger including a vertical inner shaft rotatably journalled in said tubular shaft and operatively connected at its lower end to said horizontal shaft, and a source of motive power provided on said frame and operatively connected tosaid tubular shaft and to said inner shaft.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a supporting frame, a carrier rotatable in a horiontal plane at the underside of said frame, means for rotating said carrier, an endless conveyor type digger removably iand pivotally connected at one end thereof to said carrier for raising and lowering movement, driving means provided on said frame land operatively connected to said digger whereby the same may excavate a substantially semi-spherical cavity in the ground under the frame when said carrier is rotated, conveyor means removably connected to said carrier for rotation therewith, said conveyor means communicating with the pivoted end of said digger and extending outwardly beyond the outer end of the digger whereby to transfer earth from the digger to the ground under the frame exteriorly of the stated cavity, and earth gradingmeans removably attachable* to said carrier in substitution for said digger and for said conveyor means, said grading means being operably connectable to said driving means for grading the transferred earth at the exterior of the stated cavity during rotation of said carrier.

5. In a machine `of the character described, the combination of a supporting frame including a center member and a plurality of elongated frame sections adjustably attached at one end thereof to said center member and radiating therefrom, said frame sections being movable from a substantially horizontal position wherein said center member is substantially coplanar therewith to a downwardly and outwardly extended position whereiny said centermember is supported at an elevation above their outer ends, means removably mounted at the underside of said center member for excavating a cavity in the ground under said frame when said frame sections are in their horizontal position, and block and tackle means removably attachable to said frame in substitution for said last mentioned means when the Vframe sections are downwardly andoutwardly extended.

6. Thedevice as definedV in claim 5 wherein said frame sections are attachable in a substantially mutually parallel relation to said center member to facilitate transportation of said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 180,912 Owen Aug. 8, 1876 569,121 McLarty Oct. 6, 11896 978,908 Leary Dec. 20, 1910 1,406,349 Carrigan Feb. 14, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS 12,193 Great Britain Aug. 17, 1888 214,556 Germany Oct. 15, 1909 

